Lesson 4: Biodiversity and its components

Objectives:
- To know what is biodiversity
- To identify and understand the types of biodiversity
- To determine the threats to biodiversity
- To understand different biodiversity conservation

What is Biodiversity?
According to WWF (2023) Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one
area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up
our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an
intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. Biodiversity supports everything in nature
that we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine, and shelter.
Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be
used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region
or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and
humans (National geographic, 2023).

Types of biodiversity (Byju’s, 2023)

1. Species diversity
Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area. It is
the biodiversity at the most basic level. It includes all the species ranging from plants to different
microorganisms. No two individuals of the same species are exactly similar. For example,
humans show a lot of diversity among themselves.
2. Genetic diversity
It refers to the variations among the genetic resources of the organisms. Every individual of a
particular species differs from each other in their genetic constitution. That is why every human
looks different from each other. Similarly, there are different varieties in the same species of
rice, wheat, maize, barley, etc.
3. Ecological diversity
An ecosystem is a collection of living and non-living organisms and their interaction with each
other. Ecological biodiversity refers to the variations in the plant and animal species living
together and connected by food chains and food webs. It is the diversity observed among the
different ecosystems in a region. Diversity in different ecosystems like deserts, rainforests,
mangroves, etc., include ecological diversity.
Importance of Biodiversity
Biodiversity and its maintenance are very important for sustaining life on earth. A few of the
reasons explaining the importance of biodiversity are:
Ecological Stability
Every species has a specific role in an ecosystem. They capture and store energy and also
produce and decompose organic matter. The ecosystem supports the services without which
humans cannot survive. A diverse ecosystem is more productive and can withstand
environmental stress.
Economic Importance
Biodiversity is a reservoir of resources for the manufacture of food, cosmetic products and
pharmaceuticals. Crops livestock, fishery, and forests are a rich sources of food. Wild plants
such as Cinchona and Foxglove plant are used for medicinal purposes. Wood, fibres, perfumes,
lubricants, rubber, resins, poison and cork are all derived from different plant species. The
national parks and sanctuaries are a source of tourism. They are a source of beauty and joy for
many people.
Ethical Importance
All species have a right to exist. Humans should not cause their voluntary extinction.
Biodiversity preserves different cultures and spiritual heritage. Therefore, it is very important to
conserve biodiversity.

THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY (Russell, 2022)

1. Habitat Loss and Degradation
Biodiversity is threatened when there is significant habitat loss or degradation. This happens
when an area that was once used as a habitat is no longer inhabited by nature. Things like
deforestation, mining, agriculture and industrial activities often remove crucial habitat space for
wildlife and plants. However, natural events could also cause habitat degradation. This would
include events such as hurricanes, volcanic eruptions and forest fires.
2. Invasive Species
Another reason for the loss of biodiversity is the introduction of invasive species. Invasive
species include any plants or animals that are unnatural or non-native to an ecosystem. These
species threaten and often outcompete the plants and animals already present in a habitat. For
example, the Emerald Ash Borer has wiped out a considerable portion of the ash trees in North
America. It was likely introduced through cargo materials and has created a loss in biodiversity.
3. Pollution
Whether the pollution is in the water, air or land, any form of pollution is a threat to biodiversity.
Toxic synthetic chemicals and products enter ecosystems, which has led to the extinction of
animal and plant species. Even natural substances can become pollution if they’re
overabundant in a particular area. Plastic pollutants have gone deep into the oceans and have
even been found at microscopic levels on Mount Everest and in the human digestive system.
4. Climate Change
The increase in global temperatures has had significant effects on the environment. Seasons
are coming earlier or later than expected, which can leave animals struggling to find resources
to survive and adapt. Additionally, climate change has led to a rise in sea levels and a
decreasing amount of sea ice, which has affected both animals in the sea and on land. As
climate and temperatures continue to change, the threats to biodiversity will only increase.
5. Overexploitation of Natural Resources
Activities such as targeted hunting, fishing and gathering of animals, plants and other natural
resources threaten biodiversity. The loss of large populations of animals or plants in a short
amount of time can cause a rippling effect on the other wildlife in that region. For example, if a
primary predator is over-fished, there will be nothing to keep prey populations in check.
Furthermore, overexploitation of non-renewable resources will affect daily human life.
6. Human Activity and Population
The increase in the population of humans has had a significant impact on biodiversity. About
200 years ago, less than 1 billion people were living on earth. There are about 7 billion people
on earth now, and by the year 2050, the population is expected to be at 10 billion people.
As the human population increases, the need for resources like food, water and shelter will
increase, and more human activity will occur. Biodiversity is likely to decrease because of those
needs, as well as urbanization and development. People will need places to live, work and play,
so regions once filled with forests and diversity will become concrete jungles, forcing animals to
leave their habitats and depleting the area of plants.

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
What is Biodiversity Conservation?

- Biodiversity conservation is the protection and management of biodiversity to obtain

resources for sustainable development.
Biodiversity conservation has three main objectives:

- To preserve the diversity of species.

- Sustainable utilization of species and ecosystem.
- To maintain life-supporting systems and essential ecological processes.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Methods

Biodiversity refers to the variability of life on earth. It can be conserved in the following
ways:

 In-situ Conservation
 Ex-situ Conservation
In-situ Conservation
In-situ conservation of biodiversity is the conservation of species within their natural
habitat. In this method, the natural ecosystem is maintained and protected.
The in-situ conservation has several advantages. Following are the important advantages of in-
situ conservation:

- It is a cost-effective and convenient method of conserving biodiversity.

- A large number of living organisms can be conserved simultaneously.
- Since the organisms are in a natural ecosystem, they can evolve better and can easily
adjust to different environmental conditions.
- Certain protected areas where in-situ conservation takes place include national
parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.
National Parks
These are small reserves maintained by the government. Its boundaries are well demarcated
and human activities such as grazing, forestry, habitat and cultivation are prohibited. For eg.,
Kanha National Park, and Bandipur National Park.
Wildlife Sanctuaries
These are the regions where only wild animals are found. Human activities such as timber
harvesting, cultivation, collection of woods and other forest products are allowed here as long as
they do not interfere with the conservation project. Also, tourists visit these places for recreation.

Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere reserves are multi-purpose protected areas where the wildlife, traditional lifestyle of
the inhabitants and domesticated plants and animals are protected. Tourist and research
activities are permitted here.

Ex-situ Conservation
Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity involves the breeding and maintenance of
endangered species in artificial ecosystems such as zoos, nurseries, botanical gardens, gene
banks, etc. There is less competition for food, water and space among the organisms.
Ex-situ conservation has the following advantages:

- The animals are provided with a longer time and breeding activity.
- The species bred in captivity can be reintroduced in the wild.
- Genetic techniques can be used for the preservation of endangered species.
References:
WWF. Accessed February 02, 2023. What is Biodiversity? Retrieved from
https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/what-is-biodiversity.
National Geographic. Accessed February 2, 2023. Biodiversity. Retrieved from
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/biodiversity.
Byju’s. Accessed February 2, 2023. Biodiversity and its types. Retrieved from
https://byjus.com/biology/biodiversity/.
Russell, S. (2022). What are the major threats to biodiversity? Environment. Retrived from
https://environment.co/what-are-the-major-threats-to-biodiversity/.
BYJU’S. Accessed 2023, February 10. Biodiversity Conservation. Retrieved from
https://byjus.com/biology/biodiversity-conservation/.

Lesson 5: Species Diversity (BYJU’S, 2023)

Objectives:

- To know what is species diversity

- To understand the importance of species diversity
- To learn the different role of organism in the ecosystem
- To identify the different threats to species diversity

What is Species Diversity?

“Species diversity is defined as the number of different species present in an ecosystem and
relative abundance of each of those species.”
Diversity is greatest when all the species present are equally abundant in the area. There are
two constituents of species diversity:

 Species richness: Number of different species present in an ecosystem. Tropical areas

have greater species richness as the environment is conducive for a large number of
species
 Species evenness: Relative abundance of individuals of each of those species. If the
number of individuals within a species is fairly constant across communities, it is said to
have a high evenness and if the number of individuals varies from species to species, it
is said to have low evenness. High evenness leads to greater specific diversity
It is possible in an ecosystem to have high species richness, but low species evenness.
For example:
In a forest, there may have a large number of different species (high species richness) but have
only a few members of each species (low species evenness)
In a forest, there may be only a few plant species (low species richness) but a large number of
each species (high species evenness)
The species diversity varies in a different geographical location with tropics having highest and
declines as we move towards poles. The most species-rich environments are tropical
rainforests, coral reefs and ocean bottom zone. Species richness increases with increasing
explored area.
Importance of Species Diversity

- In a healthy ecosystem, diverse and balanced number of species exist to maintain the
balance of an ecosystem. In an ecosystem, all the species depend on each other directly
or indirectly. So to make a more efficient, productive and sustainable ecosystem, it is
important to maintain high species diversity.
- More diverse ecosystem tend to be more productive. E.g. the ecosystem with a great
variety of producer species will produce large biomass to support a greater variety of
consumer species
- Greater species richness and productivity makes an ecosystem more sustainable and
stable
- More diverse the ecosystem, greater is the ability to withstand environmental stresses
like drought or invasive infestations
- Species richness makes an ecosystem able to respond to any catastrophe
- In Species-rich communities, each species can use a different portion of resources
available as per their requirement. E.g. plants with smaller roots can absorb water and
minerals from shallow soil and plants with deeper roots can tap deeper soil
- Rich diversity is important for the survival of mankind
- Healthy biodiversity has innumerable benefits like nutrients storage and recycling, soil
formation and protection from erosion, absorption of harmful gases, climate stability
- Humans get lots of product from nature like fruits, cereals, meat, wood, fibre, raisin,
dyes, medicine, antibiotics, etc.
- Amazon forest is estimated to produce 20 percent of total oxygen in the earth’s
atmosphere through photosynthesis
- Pollinators, symbiotic relationships, decomposers, each species perform a unique role,
which is irreplaceable
- Diversity in large numbers help in large scale interaction among organisms such as in
the food web
- In the nitrogen cycle, bacteria, plants have a crucial relationship, earthworms contribute
to soil fertility
- Apart from these, there are other benefits such as recreation and tourism, education and
research
 Each species plays an important role in an ecosystem. The role that a species plays in its
ecosystem is known as its “ecological niche”. Species can be broadly divided into generalist
and specialist species.

 Generalist species: They have broad niches. These can live in many places and can eat
a variety of foods. They can thrive in rapidly changing environmental conditions. E.g.
cockroaches, rats, mice, flies, white-tailed deer, raccoons, humans, etc.
 Specialist species: They have a narrow niche, found in only one type of habitat and feed
on a few types of food. They are more prone to disturbances in the environmental
condition and cannot tolerate the change and environmental stress. In the tropical rain
forests where environmental conditions are fairly constant, specialist species hold an
advantage as they have fewer competitors for the resources. E.g. the giant panda of
China is endangered because of low reproductive rate, disturbances in its habitat and
specific diet mostly bamboo. Tiger salamanders breed in fishless ponds, shorebirds that
feed on crustaceans tend to live on sandy beaches and adjoining coastal wetlands.
 Native species: Species that normally live and thrive in a particular ecosystem.
 Non-native species (invasive or alien species): Species that migrate deliberately or
accidentally to an ecosystem. They can spread rapidly if they find a favourable niche.
Invasive species compete with other species for food and habitat. If the indigenous
species are unable to compete, they are forced to leave or die.
 Indicator species: These serve as biological smoke alarms. These species provide early
warnings of damage to an ecosystem. E.g. presence of trout species is an indicator of
the water quality as they need clean water with high levels of dissolved oxygen to thrive,
birds are an excellent biological indicator of their habitat loss and fragmentation and use
of chemical pesticides. Butterflies are also a good indicator species as their association
with various plant species makes them vulnerable to their habitat loss and
fragmentation. Coal miners used canaries as an indicator of the poisonous and
explosive gases present in the mine.
 Keystone species: They play an important role in maintaining species diversity and
integrity of an ecosystem. They have a high impact on the types and abundance of
species in an ecosystem. These species play several critical roles in helping certain
species (e.g. role in pollination like bees, butterflies) to sustain as well as check the
overpopulation of other species to become overly dominant (e.g. top predators like a
lion, shark, wolf, etc. ). E.g. if predatory starfish was removed from an ecosystem, it
resulted in different species of mussels to outcompete other species and reducing
species diversity
 Foundation species: They play an important role in creating and enhancing habitats. E.g.
Elephants push over or uproot trees to open forest in grasslands and woodlands of
Africa, promoting the growth of grass and other foliage required for small grazing
species like an antelope
Threats to species diversity
The world is facing an accelerated rate of extinction of species largely due to human
activities. The four major causes of loss of diversity are known as “The Evil Quartet”.
These are:

 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Due to pollution, urbanisation and various other human
activities, habitat loss and fragmentation is a major cause of loss in species diversity and
driving plants and animals extinct. E.g.
- Amazon rainforest (lungs of the planet), which is a house to millions of species are being
cut and cleared for various purposes
- Tropical rainforest, which once covered 14 per cent of landmass, is no more than 6
percent now

 Over Exploitation: Over-exploitation of natural resources leads to the extinction of many

species. E.g. Steller’s sea cow, the passenger pigeon, many marine fishes are
overharvested

 Alien species invasions: When alien species are introduced deliberately or

unintentionally, some of them become invasive, leading to the extinction of indigenous
species. E.g.
- Extinction of cichlid fish in Lake Victoria due to the introduction of the Nile perch
- Illegal introduction of the African catfish is a threat to indigenous catfishes in rivers

 Co-extinctions: When a species becomes extinct, the species that are associated with it
also becomes extinct. E.g.
- When a host fish goes extinct, the parasite also goes extinct
- Mutualism like a plant-pollinator, where extinction of one species leads to the extinction
of other species too

References:
BYJU’S. Accessed 2023 February 10. What is species diversity?. Retrieved from
https://byjus.com/neet/why-is-species-diversity-important/.